Grinding machine



Nov. 21, 1939. A EBE 2,180,529

GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1937 INVENTOR P g 9 fgodarefisekg ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 21, 1939. c. KASEBERG GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3; INVENTOR Z/geadore C/(aseifiy ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1939. T. c. KASEBERG 2.180529 GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Zl/zeodore C/(asekzy ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1939. T. c. KASEBERG 2,130,529

GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NNNNNN OR nea goreT/fasekiy ATTO :5

' Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITE STATiEfi GRINDING MACHINE Application June 5, 1937, Serial No. 146,531

12 Claims.

This invention relates to grinding machines in general and in particular to machines for grinding railway car Wheels or the like in pairs.

Certain wheel grinders now in use require the wheel pairs to be hoisted in and out of the machine thus causing excessive delay and, therefore, a high cost of grinding each pair. Other wheel grinders require the wheel pair to be rolled into and back out of position again causing excessive delay due to the use of transfer tables, etc. It is an object,thereiore, of this invention to pro- .Vide a grinding machine for wheel pairs in which the set-up delay is reduced to a minimum and in which the wheel pairs pass straight through the machine without the use of hoists or transfer tables.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wheel grinding machine in which the wheel pairs are supported upon their journals prior to being supported on the axle centers in order to reduce labor of positioning the wheel pairs.

A still further object of the invention is the pro- I vision of a wheel grinding machine in which the wheel pairs after being supported upon the axle centers are frictionally gripped for driving.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a wheel grinding machine in which independently adjustable grinding wheel assemblies are used that may be quickly shifted into and out of grinding position.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved grinding machine with a wheel pair in position for grinding;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l, but with certain parts omitted to better show the construction of the grinding assembly;

Fig. 3 is a side View of substantially one-half the machine with certain parts removed and others broken away to more clearly show the manner in which the wheel pairs are supported and driven, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of slightly more than one-half of the machine with the wheel pair removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it is seen that the machine consists mainly of a base part A, preferably mounted in a pit (not shown), and adjustably carrying a pair of grinding assemblies B. The machine is supplied by wheel pairs rolling on rails C and these pairs will be driven when in the grinding position by means of a power drive arrangement D. I

The base part is formed in the instance shown by a pair of heavy I-beams 2 joined at their ends and at intermediate points by short I-beams 4 and 6 respectively through angle clips 8, although these short beams may be welded in place if desired. lhis base part has slidably mounted thereon a pair of substantially identical tail stock members each consisting of a heavy bottorn'portion it bearing upon the top flanges of the I-beam and with a part it positioned between the flanges to prevent sidewise movement thereof. Bars It having the ends thereof deflected in accordance with the inner faces of the I-beam flanges are positioned below the flanges and are held in place by bolts It by means of which the bottom may be securely clamped upon the base in any desired position. The upper portion. l8 of the tailstock is bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom portion and is formed at its upper end with a bearing portion l 9 within which the spindle 28 may slide upon actuation of the hand wheel 2i. 'The spindle carries the dead center bearing 22 and may be gripped by the locking means 23, all of which is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and l. The tailstock as just described is almost identical with that generally used on lathes but in the present instance is improved by the addition of an angular shaped bracket 26 secured to the tailstock and carrying at its outer edge a bearing or work supporting block 26 held in spaced relation to the bracket by means of adjusting block 28 (Figs. 3 and 4) the thickness of;which may be varied as desired. Each bearing portion or some other suitable part of the machine has a valve bracket 29 secured thereto and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 these brackets carry valves 'with one of the brackets carrying in addition a valve 32 (Fig. l) the purpose of both of which will be later explained. It is thus seen that the position of the tail stock may be roughly adjusted by means of the bolts it, while the exact position of the dead center may be controlled by the hand wheel 2i. p 5

The work for which the machine is particularly designed consists of an axle l-I upon which a pair of wheels W are pressed leaving the customary journal J located outwardly of the wheels. In turning the axle to provide the journal and wheel receiving portions, a center bearing 0 is necessary and, therefore, if the axle be again supported at this bearing and the Wheels ground or turned, their tread surface will be concentric with the axle center-axis. The work is readily suppliedto 55 the machine by merely rolling the wheel and axle assembly along rails C which abut and are flush with spaced pairs of bars 34 secured upon the base frame. It is to be noted that the space between the adjacent ends of a pair of bars is directly below the work supporting block 26 which is located at such a height with respect to the bars as to support the wheel and axle assemblies by means of the journals, thus bridging the space and leaving the wheels free to turn without touching the bars. The intermediate I-beams 6 have attached to their upper surfaces an angle bar or other means 36 which will prevent any extensive endwise movement of the assembly after being supported upon the work supporting blocks. After the wheel and axle assembly is located upon the work supporting block in a substantially central position, it is only necessary that the dead centers be forced into the center bearings of the axle thus lifting the entire assembly and supporting it upon the dead centers for rotary movement. It is thus seen that the work is supplied the machine by rolling it along rail C and bars 3 3 with the work supporting blocks positioned beneath the assemblies immediately prior to the wheels arriving at the gap between the bars 34. The blocks will, therefore, tend to slow up or check the movement of the work after the wheel reaches the gap since the circumference of the part upon which it rolls will be suddenly changed.

In order to drive the wheel and axle assembly after it is supported upon the dead centers, a drive arrangement D, previously referred to, is provided. In the instance shown the drive arrangement consists of a prime mover 38 from which shafting 39 extends to drive a pair of spaced pneumatic wheels it positioned in the space between the bars 34 and directly beneath the flanged wheels. The drive shaft is rotatably supported in bearing blocks 4| carried by vertically reciprocable pistons 42 slidably engaged in cylinders M (Figs. 2, 3 and 4). These cylinders are preferably mounted upon the intermediate spaced beams 6, the web of which is cut away to permit vertical sliding movements of the drive shaft and the cylinders are supplied with air or other fluid through pipe and hose line 46. The pistons and cylinders are so proportioned and arranged as to support the pneumatic wheels in a lower position as indicated by line and dash in Figure 3, while upon being supplied with air the pistons will move upwardly forcing the pneumatic wheels into engagement with the flanged wheels of the work. This upward movement of the pneumatic wheels is preferably of a suflicient amount to entirely support the dead weight of the wheel and axle assembly, thus relieving the dead centers of any vertical strain and providing a positive drive between the drive shaft and the wheel and axle assembly. Air or other fluid will be supplied the pipe line and cylinders by means of the additional valve 32 previously referred to and shown on Fig. 4, this valve receiving its supply through pipe line 41.

The grinding assemblies B, previously referred to, are substantially identical and, therefore, a description of one will suffice. A supporting casting A8 is secured to the web of the base portion and provided with supporting legs 49 and formed on its upper surface with one element 50 of a machined dovetail slide. Slidably supported on this casting is what may be termed a power driven slide block 52 formed by two relatively movable parts, the lower of which 5| is formed on its lower surface with slide grooves adapted to mate with the slide element 59, while the upper part is formed on its upper surface with machined guide element 54 of a dovetail slide element. The upper and lower parts of this power driven slide block may rotate relative to each other about a pivot 53 (Figs. 1 and 2) to any desired position and after being rotated to such position locking bolts may be inserted to secure the upper and lower parts together. The purpose of this rotation is to permit proper adjustment of the grinder axis relative to the work as will later be more fully explained. The power driven slide block is connected by means of piston rod 55 to a piston mounted within the cylinder 55 carried by the base casting through thrust transmitting elements 51 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). It is thus seen that a rapid movement of the power driven slide block may be obtained by admission of an actuating fluid to the cylinder and the flow of this fluid to the proper cylinder is preferably controlled through suitable connections to the valves 39 previously referred to. Any wear in the dovetail slides may be compensated for in a customary manner through the use of gibs 58 and set screws 53.

The power driven slide block form a movable base upon which the remainder of the grinding equipment is either rigidly or slidably mounted. Slidably mounted upon the previously described slide block is what may be termed a manually controlled slide block 68 which 3 block may be adjusted relative to the supporting slide block by means of screw shaft 63 (Fig. l) driven through sprocket 64 and chain 55. The chain engages a second sprocket carried upon hub portion of a hand wheel 66 rotatably supported by angle bars 61 secured upon the power driven slide block.

A second manually controlled slide block or grinder carrying slide block 68 is mounted upon the slide block and is formed on its lower surface with mating guideways adapted to engage the guideways 62 of this block. This second or grinder carrying slide block may be manually actuated by means of screw rod l'fl supported by bearing H carried upon the slide block 60 and actuated by means of a sprocket l2 and chain 13. The chain engages a sprocket carried upon the hub of a hand wheel 14 rotatably supported by a standard 15 rigidly secured to the slide block til. This arrangement is substantially identical with that previously described in connection with the hand wheel 66 and the actuation of slide block 63. It is thus seen that the piston and cylinder arrangement will cause rapid movement of the slide block 52 substantially parallel to the axis of the work, while hand wheel 66 will cause a similar but slower motion of the slide block 68, dependent upon the relative positions of the upper and lower parts of the slide block, and that the hand wheel i l will cause a relatively slow movement of the slide block 68 substantially at right angles to the axis of the work and slides 52 or 68. It is obvious that these various dovetail slides Will wear during use and such wear is preferably compensated for by means of gibs and adjusting screws such as 58 and 59.

The upper or grinder carrying slide block has mounted thereon a prime mover such as an electric motor 78 and a grinder wheel 19 suitably coupled together by means of a plurality of V- belts 80. The motor shaft and grinder shaft have mounted thereon pulley assemblies 8! and 32 respectively of progressively varying diameters in order that the V-belts may be shifted to the various assemblies, thus giving a varying speed to the grinder wheel to compensate for wear thereof and give a substantially constant peripheral speed. The grinder shaft is rotatably carried by bearing block 83 which in turn may carry grinder protecting housing 8% and spray nozzle 85 (Fig. l). The grinder housing has one side thereof hinged as at 86 in order that the grinder stone may be readily replaced.

The operation of the machine will be as follows, assuming the parts to be substantially in the position shown in Fig. 4: The flanged wheel and axle assembly may be rolled into the machine upon the wheels along rails C and a portion of bars 34, until such time as the journals contact the work supporting blocks 26 due to the wheels of the wheel and axle assembly dropping into the gap between the bars and the work is thus slowed up and finally checked in a position with the axle center substantially in vertical alignment with the dead centers of the tailstock assemblies. With the work in this position workmen may operate hand wheel 2i advancing the dead center bearings and lifting the entire wheel and axle assembly clear of the work supporting blocks, after which the locking means 23 will be actuated to prevent any shifting of the dead center bearings; then the valve 32 may be operated to supply actuating fluid to the cylinders M, thus causing the pneumatic wheels to grip the flanged wheels and at the same time relieve the dead center bearings of at least a portion of the vertical load. After the work is so positioned workmen may start the prime mover 38, thus rotating the wheel and axle assembly by means of the pneumatic wheels. The

grinders may now be started and advanced.

against the wheel tread by means of hand wheel 14 and across the face of the tread by means of hand wheel 66; In this connection it should be noted that the axis of the grinder shaft is at an angle to the axis of the work and to the lower part of the power driven slide block due to rotation of the upper part about pivot 53 and that this angle is substantially identical to the conical angle of the wheel tread surface and, therefore, the grinder surface will move under action of the wheel 66 parallel to the tread surface. As soon as the wheel treads have been ground the proper amount, the workmen may operate valves 30, thus supplying actuating fluid to cylinders 55 and rapidly retracting the entire head assembly to a position such that the ends of the axle may clear the grinder shaft, after which the locking means 23 will be released and the handwheel 2i operated to permit the wheel and axle assembly to drop upon the supporting block 25. The work may now be rolled out of the machine in the same direction that it entered the machine first along the journals upon blocks 2%: then upon the wheels working on bars 34: which have caused the journals to be lifted from the supporting blocks and finally along rails C. A new piece of work may in the meantime be advanced into the machine from the opposite side and quickly positioned as previously described and the valves 3!! actuated to supply fluid to the cylinders 53 quickly returning the grinding assembly to the grinding position. In the interval between completion of the grinding of one wheel set and the return of the assembly to the grinding position for second wheel set it is necessary that the hand wheels 14 be operated to retract the grinding wheel and prevent its contact with the wheel tread during movement by the cylinder assembly. It is thus seen that a machine has beenprovided in which work may be rapidly supplied and be removed from the machine with a minimum amount of labor and with a minimum amount of delay, since no hoisting or other handling of the work is necessary. It is also obvious that since the wheels are ground to true tread contour upon the axle with which they will be used and are supported during this grinding upon the axle centers, the tread must necessarily be concentric with respect to the axis of the axle.

While the machine has been described more or less in detail, it is obvious that various changes in its construction and manner of operation will become apparent to persons skilled in the art and all suchv chanegs are contemplated as fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track along which the assembly may be rolled into and out of the machine, a gap in said track substantially in vertical alignment with the center bearing spindles, means positioned in the gap for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, and grinder means movable into engagement with the wheel tread for grinding the same.

2. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track along which the assembly may be rolled into and out of the machine, a gap in said track substantially in vertical alignment with the center bearing spindles, friction means positioned in the gap and engageable with the wheels for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, and grinder means movable into engagement with the wheel tread for grinding the same. i

3. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track along which the assembly may be rolled into and out of the machine, a gap in said track substantially in vertical alignment with the center bearing spindles, pneumatic wheeled means positioned in the gap and vertically shiftable into engagement with the wheels for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, and grinder means movable into engagement with the wheel tread for grinding the same.

4. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced tailstocks carrying center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track along which the assembly may be rolled into and outof the machine, a gap in said track substan.- tially in vertical alignment with the center bear.- .ing spindles, support members carried by each tailstock and engageable with the axle to support the assembly in its movements across the gap, means positioned in the gap for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, and grinder means movable into engagement with the wheel tread for grinding the same.

5.. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced tailstocks carrying center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track along which the assembly may be rolled into and out of the machine, a gap in said track substantially in vertical alignment with the center bearing spindles, support members carried by each tailstock and engageable with the axle to support the assembly in its movements across the gap, said spindles lifting the wheel and axle assembly clear of the support members when fully engaged in the axle centers, means to rotate the assembly upon the axle centers, and grinder means movable into engagement with the wheel treads for grinding the same.

6. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of track along which the assembly may be rolled unidirectionally into and out of the machine, a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers and support the assembly clear of the track for rotation, means for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, spaced grinder means movable toward the axle into engagement with the respective wheel tread for grinding the same, means for shifting the grinders across the tread, and power actuated means for increasing the space between the grinders to permit removal of the assembly from the machine.

7. In a machine for grinding the treads of railway wheels assembled on their axles, the combination of track along which the assembly may be rolled unidirectionally into and out of the machine, a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers and support the assembly clear of the track for rotation, means for rotating the assembly upon the axle centers, spaced grinder means movable toward the axle into engagement with the respective wheel tread for grinding the same, means for shifting the grinders across the tread, and power actuated means for increasing the space between the grinders to permit removal of the assembly from the machine through the space.

8. In a machine for grinding railway wheels while mounted on their axles, the combination with a pair of spaced tailstocks carrying center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track means for guiding the assembly while rolling onitswheels to and from said spindles, means below said spindles for engaging said axles to elevate the as sembly from wheel supporting to axle supporting position, said last named means tending to retard the movement of said assembly, means for shifting said spindles into axle engaging position while the assembly is in axle supported position, the engagement of said spindles with said axle elevating the assembly to free rotating position, vertically shiftable means for engaging and driving said wheels while in their spindle supported position, and adjustable power driven grinding means for said wheels.

9. In a machine for grinding railway wheels while mounted on their axles, the combination with a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, track means for guiding the assembly while rolling on its wheels to and from said spindles, means for engaging said axle to elevate the assembly from wheel supporting to axle supporting position, means for shifting said spindles into axle engaging position while the assembly is in axle supported position, the engagement of said spindles with said axles elevating the assembly to free rotating and spindle supported position, means for rotating said wheels arranged below said axle supporting means, said wheel rotating means being adjustable above and below said track means, means for grinding said wheels during their rotation, and means for withdrawing said spindles from axle engaging position to permit the movement of the assembly away from the spindles on its axle supports and wheel supports.

10. In a machine for grinding railway wheels while mounted on their axles, the combination with a pair of movable bearing spindles adapted to engage the centers of the axles of said assembly, adjustably mounted tailstocks carrying said spindles, track means for supporting the wheels of said assembly during the rolling movement to and from spindle engaging position, said axle engaging means elevating said wheels from said tracks and retarding their rotary movement, means for moving the spindles into axle engaging position, the engagement of said spindles With said axles elevating the assembly from axle supported position to freely rotating position, power driving means for said wheels normally positioned out of engagement with said wheels and adjustable into wheel engaging position when the assembly is supported on said spindles, and grinding means for said Wheels mounted for adjustment independent of the assembly supporting means.

11. In a machine for grinding railway wheels while mounted on their axles, the combination of a pair of spaced center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel assembly, means for guiding the assembly in rolling movement on its wheels to and from the spindle engaging position, means for elevating the assembly from wheel supported to axle supported position, said last named means including interchangeable blocks arranged below said spindles, means for shifting said spindles into axle engaging position while the assembly is in axle supported position, the engagement of said spintles with said axles elevating the assembly to free rotating and spindle supported position, and means for grinding said Wheels while in free rotating position.

12. A machine for grinding railway wheels while mounted on their wheels, in combination with a pair of spaced tailstocks carrying center bearing spindles adapted to engage the axle centers of the wheel and axle assembly, means for guiding the wheel and axle assembly to and from said center bearing spindles while supported on their wheels, means for retarding the rotation of said wheels during the movement to spindle engaging position, said retarding means elevating the wheel and axle assembly from wheel supported to axle supported position, means for moving said spindles into axle engaging position, the engagement of said spindles with said axles elevating the assembly from axle supported position to freely rotatable position on the spindles, means for rotating said wheels, and means for grinding said wheels during rotation.

THEODORE C. KASEBERG. 

